Moldova's parity commission for decentralization discusses budget law for 2023

Chisinau, 20 December /MOLDPRES/ - The parity commission for decentralization has convened at the second meeting this year, chaired by Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita and co-chaired by the head of the Council of Local Authorities from Moldova (CALM), Tatiana Badan. The discussions with representatives of CALM and local public authorities were focused, as priority, on the budget for 2023, the government’s communication and protocol department has reported.   

In the beginning of the discussions, the PM reviewed the principal actions undertaken in the last month, in order to strengthen the dialogue between the Central Public Authorities (APC) and Local Public Authorities (APL). The prime minister also referred to the conditions in which the budget for the next year had been established.   

„I am happy that we have managed to create the working groups which we planned. Today, it is important that we discuss the budget established for the next year. As you know, the budget depends on more factors. We have made maximal efforts, along with all my colleagues from the cabinet of ministers, including we held intense discussions with the International Monetary Fund, just till the last moment, so that we have a fair distribution of the financial resources available. It is true that we face more overlapped crises; therefore, we must manage to increase the salaries, provide compensations for the increase in prices, especially for energy resources, as well as to support the settlements, businesses and projects underway. We are everybody in the same boat and our response should be solidary,’’ Natalia Gavrilita said.     

The head of the Council of Local Authorities from Moldova, Tatiana Badan, welcomed the discussions on the subject of the budget and encouraged the continuing of the cooperation between APC and APL. ‘’We appreciate the openness we have on behalf of the government. We are sure that we will together be able to work more efficiently on numerous subjects which regard the local public authorities. Our common interest is to solve the problems which we daily face locally, to identify the best solutions and to be heard,’’ Tatiana Badan said.  

The participants in the meeting also tackled subjects on the increase in salaries and monthly allowances for APL employees, including through the increase in their own incomes and the use of the transfers with general purpose. In the context, the local authorities’ representatives welcomed the removal of ceilings on the local taxes and demanded that the size of taxes could be decided annually and not once in three years, at it is suggested. The participants also discussed possibility to consolidate the administrative capacities of the local public authorities, including through the voluntary amalgamation, provided for by the strategy of reform of APL.     

The parity commission ruled to summon, in the next month, the working groups on specific subjects, such as the management of the heritage, education, health and social protection, so that the next meeting of the parity commission takes place in late next January.   

Photo: Government